THE competitive cable news arena could get even more cutthroat soon – ABC is close to launching its own all-news channel.

The Disney-owned network is in advanced discussions with some of its key affiliate stations about launching a digital local 24-hour news channel.

Each market it would be in would feature local news, according to TV Week.

“We’re working with ABC to develop a joint affiliate/network initiative that’s heavy on localism,” said Deb McDermott, chief of the ABC Television Affiliates Association station group.

It is believed that the channel would only be available on digital cable with anchors in each market.

No further details of how the news channel will work are available yet and several factors could squash the fledgling channel before it even gets off the ground. A major hurdle will be getting the FCC to make the channel a “must carry” on cable systems around the U.S.

Industry sources say that in order for the concept to succeed, it will have to have the kind of wide distribution that can only be achieved if the FCC intervenes.